Stuffing-box.



PATENTBD MAR.' 7, 1905.

W. J. SMITH.

STUFFING BOX.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNI: 30,1902.

"hall ri* UNITED STATES Patented March '7, 1905.

PATENT EETCE.

STUFFING-BOX.

SECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,442, dated March '7, 1905.

Application filed Tune 30,1902. Serial No. 113,798. n

To rz/ZZ 'la7/.0m 'it 11mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing' at Amos, in the county of Marion, State of Test Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stufling-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to stuffing-boxes as employed in connection with the drilling of oil-wells, although it will be understood that the principles involved may be embodied in a stuffing-box employed in any other specific connection; and the object of the invention is to provide a stuflng-box wherein the bore will be so formed or have such shape both in the body of the box and the follower that the stufng will be pressed closely against the moving' part that is packed and wadding of the stuflng or packing will be prevented.

A further object is to provide a construction in which the packing will not wedge between the follower and the shaft when the former is moved to compress the packing.

The present invention may be embodied in the manufacture of new boxes, and old boxes may be rebored in accordance therewith.

In the drawings, forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in both views, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a stuffing-box embodying' the present invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section at rig'ht angles to the section of Fig. l with the follower drawn outwardly.

Referring' now to the drawings, there is shown a stufHng-box comprising a body 5, which is tapered in the direction of one end and the minor end of which is screw-threaded, as is usual. Extending longitudinally through the body portion 5 of the stufIing-box is a passage the end portions 6 and 7 of which are cylindrical, while theintermediate or central portion 8 is frusto-conical. The portion 6 is at the major end of the body 5 and is of a diameter equal to the major diameter of the central portion, while the portion 7 is at the minor end of the body and has the same diameter as the minor end of the intermediate portion. The taper of thc middle or intermediate portion 8 of the passage is in thc same direction as the taper of the body.

A follower is provided which comprises the exteriorly-cylindrical portion 10, which is of a size to fit snugly and slidably in the portion G of the bore of the body, and at the outer end of-this cylindrical portion 10 is the flange 1l, having perforations 12 therethrough, which receive slidably the threaded studs 13 on the body. N nts 14 are engaged with thc threaded studs tov draw the follower into 'the body.

The cylindrical portion lO of the follower is hollow, the bore thereof tapering to the flange 1l, the'material of which extends inwardly beyond the inner face of the portion l0, as illustrated, there being an opening' through the outer end of the follower of slightly less diameter than the minor end of the bore of the cylindrical portion of the `follower, so that there is, in effect, an inner flange l5 for the follower.

The shaft 16 that is to be packed or stuffed is passed through the bores of the body and follower and the packing 1T is wound about the shaft or rod, after which the follower is drawn into the body of the box. As the follower is drawn into the body of the box the conical faces of the bores of the box and follower act upon the packing' and compress it againstthe rod or shaft in a positive manner instead of depending upon the packing to cxpand laterally when compressed in a direction longitudinally of the rod or shaft. In this manner an eflicient packing is secured, and the packing or stuffing is not compressed into a hard. wad, but instead may be further compressed from time to time as it is worn.

It has been found that in stuffing-boxes in which the taper of the follower extends to the shaft the packing becomesl wedged between the follower and the shaft when the former is moved to compress the packing'.

In the present invention the flange l5 presses against the packing and carries it downwardly with the follower, which prevents wedging of the packing, as described, and insures tighter compression of the packing as well.

Vhat is claimed ise I l A stiifHng-box comprising a body portion having a passage therethrough, the external walls of the body tapering downwardly, said passage including an upper cylindrical portion, a lower cylindrical portion of less crosssectional diameter than the upper cylindrical portion, and a downwardly-tapered portion arranged intermediate the upper and lower cylindrical portions, the lower cylindrical portion receiving the shaft adapted to receive the packing, the upperedge of the body having up\vardly :lirected screw-threaded projections rising therefrom, and a follower including a head having an opening therein of a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the said lower cylindrical portion of said body, anda depending portion continuous in circular form arranged intermediate the edges of the head of the follower andthe opening therein, the outer surface of the said `depending portion fitting snugly the inner walls of the Lipper cylindrical portion of the aforesaid passage and the inner walls of the depending portion being out of contact with the pipe to be packed and tapering in a direction opposite to the ltapering portion of the aforesaid passage, the under face of the head of the follower between tlie edge of the opening therein and the depending portion thereof forming a shoulder for compressive action upon the upper portion of the packing, the head of the follower having perforations therein for registration with the said upwardly-directed screw-threaded projections, and means asso-l ciated with the said head and projections for securing the follower in operative position with relation to the said body, substantially as specified.

ln testimony whereof l aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ILLIAM J. SMITH. l'Vitnosses:

F. M. POWELL, L. E. VILLINGER. 

